Sindrian Waves ΙΙ
by darkladywolf
Summary: Because Sinbad doesn't like to share...Especially with that red-haired princeling from Kou...Sequel to "Sindrian Waves". *I do not own Naruto and/or Magi*


The hustle and bustle at the harbor of Sindria was greater than usual, Sakura noted as she made her way through the crowd of people and around towers of wooden boxes filled with Gods-knew-what. The last few days, a large number of ships had reached port carrying all kinds of food and drink and all kinds of objects and artifacts; from meat and vegetables and exotic fruit to wine and mead and tea. There were also gems the size of her thumb shinning under the rays of the morning sun along with soft pink pearls and beautifully crafted gold bracelets and necklaces. Unique smells reached her nostrils and color filled her vision as her mouth almost watered at the sight of some of the delicious-looking food. _'I shouldn't have skipped breakfast…..'_

She passed by flamboyantly dressed merchants that wasted no time in showering passersby with compliments that would hopefully land them a few more coins in their pockets. She even recognized the slightly different accent of Qishan among a couple of them. A grin touched her lips when she saw a big counter covered in daggers of all shapes and sizes, the steel of the polished blades glinting under the light. She stopped to examine a couple of them that had caught her eye and stared in awe at the exceptional craftsmanship of their making. She lifted one in her hands to examine it more closely. The blade was as sharp as it was well-balanced and the hilt was decorated with small rubies and sparkling sapphires. The sheathe was obviously handmade as was the blade, and the carvings were amazingly detailed and meticulously done. She showed the dagger to the seller, who immediately began congratulating her on her 'excellent choice', and started bargaining on the price.

"Please be careful with that. That's the special wine King Sinbad ordered for the occasion."

The sound of the familiar voice made Sakura tear her eyes away from the merchant and she immediately recognized Jafar's unmistakable white hair. She placed a finger on her chin and a thoughtful look crossed her face. "Hmm…..What could Jafar be doing here at this time of the day?" she wondered out loud. The trader followed her gaze and his eyes widened when he saw who she was referring to with such familiarity. He quickly shot to his feet and stammered an apology before offering her the dagger at almost half the previous price. Sakura thanked the man with a wide smile and took the blade before placing it in her weapons pouch and handing the man the amount of money he had asked for.

'_That was one dirty trick you pulled, girl…..'_ she thought to herself as she made her way through the crowd to reach her snow-haired friend. _'Oh well….It's always good to have friends in high places and I wasn't going to let that chance go to waste…'_

"Good morning, Jafar!" she greeted her friend happily and waved at him as she walked towards him.

The white-haired man looked up at her in surprise. "Oh hello, Sakura. I didn't see you there." he said and offered her one of his small smiles.

The pink-haired woman giggled. "And I can see why. You seem really busy." she replied and glanced at the long list in his hands. Now that she thought about it, Jafar did seem more anxious than usual. "What's all this rush about?" she asked and motioned to the people coming and going all around them.

Jafar raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised Sin didn't tell you of all people."

"Well, he was in a rush so I barely got to talk to him this morning. I figured I'd take a walk around town for a while before I head over to Masrur for our daily spar. Mind to enlighten me?" she asked and crossed her arms across her chest.

The white-haired man sighed. "We'll be having visitors."

"Huh? Visitors? Who?"

"The First Imperial Prince and heir to the throne of the Kou Empire, Ren Kouen."

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura stood a bit behind Sinbad as he watched the Kou ship approach the harbor of Sindria, with Masrur, Jafar and the rest of the Eight Generals flanking his sides. He was anxious, she could tell. Despite his calm exterior, she knew that the arrival of the Kou Prince was more than just a diplomatic visit. It was the first step towards a much needed Alliance between Sindria and the Kou Empire. After everything that had happened in Balbadd, Sinbad was trying hard to maintain amicable relationships between the two countries. Sakura sighed, breathing in the sea breeze as it hit her face and played with her hair. She shifted her eyes to the impressive ship and watched as a couple of Kou guards tied the painters to the posts of the harbor. In the corner of her eye she saw Sinbad straighten his back as the gangplanks were placed and the passengers began disembarking the huge vessel.

Her clever emerald eyes immediately fell on the figure leading the diplomatic mission from Kou. He was tall and well-built with red eyes and red hair tied back in a little ponytail. On his head was a small black hat with a shining yellow gem in the center. His chin was decorated with a scarlet goatee that complimented his features rather well. A black cape was hanging from his broad shoulders and his clothes signified his royal blood. And though his eyes were cold and serious, Sakura had to admit that he was a handsome and impressive man.

Sinbad walked forward with a pleasant but reserved smile. "Welcome to Sindria, Lord Kouen. I hope the winds were kind on your sails."

"Thank you, King Sinbad. You hospitality is most appreciated." the red-haired man answered coldly but politely.

Sakura watched their visitor carefully as Sinbad proceeded to introduce the Eight Generals. It was obvious from the way he held himself that he was a confident individual. His head was held high and his stride was steady and proud as he walked. He seemed like a man that would do anything to achieve his goals and in that aspect, he wasn't much different from Sinbad. His expression was calm and collected and though his eyes were currently focused on Hinahoho, she was sure that he was aware of everything going on around him. He was probably aware of her assessing him…

"And last but definitely not least, allow me to introduce Sakura." said Sinbad with a smile as he came to stand beside her. "She is one of my advisors and an excellent healer, not to mention a most capable warrior."

The young pink-haired woman smiled at the scarlet-haired man and bowed down respectfully. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kouen. I have heard a lot about you and I have to admit that I have long wished to meet with you." she said politely and emerald eyes clashed with scarlet.

"Likewise, my Lady." he answered with a small incline of his head. His voice was deep and he carried an intimidating air of authority around him. Sakura was sure that Ino would have a field day if she ever met this man.

"Why don't we-" started Sinbad only to be interrupted by Kouen.

"I hear that you are a healer." the red-haired man said without taking his penetrating gaze off Sakura.

"That's right, my Lord." She met his stare head on.

"May I ask that you share some of your knowledge with me? I am quite interested in the healing arts."

Sakura smiled widely at him. Despite the fact that he was the heir to the throne of an enemy country, she couldn't help the excitement that awoke at the pit of her stomach. Hardly ever anyone asked her about her healing abilities and the prospect of having a conversation of that short was refreshing. It could also serve as a way to approach the man and take a step closer to achieving their goal, the signing of an Alliance being that goal. It was a win-win situation no matter how she looked about it.

"Of course, my Lord. I understand that you are here on business but please feel free to seek me out whenever you wish."

"I will, my Lady, I assure you."

"You must be wary from travelling, Lord Kouen." interjected Sinbad, whose smile had faltered ever so slightly. "Please, follow me to the palace. We have prepared quarters for you and the delegates from the Kou Empire where you can rest." He turned to a dozen guards that were part of Sindria's welcoming party. "Assist our guests with their possessions." he said and the guards were quick to follow their King's orders. He turned to Kouen with a smile, though it was a bit tight. "Shall we?"

"Yes, of course." answered the scarlet-haired man and started walking beside Sinbad. He had only taken a few steps when, suddenly, he turned around and let his red eyes fall on the pink-haired woman. "Would my Lady do me the pleasure of accompanying us?"

Sakura looked up at him in surprise and fought down the urge to raise a questioning eyebrow. _'Now, this is unexpected. I know he said he was interested in healing but not enough that he would personally ask me to accompany him….' _Despite her surprise, she put a bright smile on her face and fell in step with the two males, not noticing the look Sinbad was giving them, Kouen especially.

To say that the King of Sindria was surprised and more than a little displeased would be an understatement. From what he knew about Kouen, the man had the social skills of a rock and just as many emotions. Seeing _him_, of all people, acting like that around another human being was strange on its own. The fact that the other human being was _Sakura_, was downright annoying. Sinbad didn't even realize that he had stopped walking and was now staring at the backs of the pair, who appeared to not have noticed his absence and were caught up in a conversation regarding the use of common plants in the making of poisons. His eyes narrowed and a scowl replaced his smile as he glared at the First Prince's back. _'He wouldn't dare…'_

Jafar sweat-dropped and sighed as he continued to watch his King's expression change from annoyance to all-out glaring. _'Oh boy….We are in so much trouble…..'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sinbad glared at the pair from his place on one of the palace's balconies overlooking the gardens where the Kou Prince and the pink-haired woman were currently in. They were sitting on a stone bench under the shade of a lush tree, _side by side_. They were engrossed in a conversation Sinbad wasn't really interested in and Sakura was smiling brightly at the red-haired prince, who was listening attentively to whatever it was that she was talking to him about. Kouen had shown an interest in the pink-haired woman since the first day of his arrival and even now, almost two weeks later, he showed no sign of intending to cease hogging the woman's attention. And damn it, it was getting on his nerves!

Sinbad watched as Sakura somehow coaxed Kouen into kneeling beside her in order to show him a plant and explain its uses. The Imperial Heir stood a bit too close to Sakura for Sinbad's liking. It was not like he didn't trust her. Quite the contrary in fact. He trusted her wholeheartedly and he was absolutely sure that she was not interested in any other sort of involvement with the Kou Prince outside her position as his personal advisor. From what she had told him, she had quite some experience with diplomats as she had served as Ambassador for her village in the past. The purple-haired King was not surprised that she had won the stoic man over so easily. For as long as he knew her, Sakura had always had a unique way with people, mainly due to her being a healer, and her bright and caring personality made people flock around her like bees to honey. He could attest to that himself and he felt no shame in admitting that she had him wrapped around her little finger. And he loved every minute of it…

However, he trusted Ren Kouen as much as he would trust a wolf to guard a herd of sheep. It was no secret that the red-haired prince harbored an insatiable hunger for knowledge and Sakura just happened to be an open book of information, especially when it came to medicine, and she was always willing to share it. He couldn't help but feel that Kouen's interest in the young woman went a bit deeper than just an interest in the healing arts…..Sinbad sighed and ran his hand through his long hair. _'Maybe I am overreacting…' _

He was broken out of his thoughts by a ringing laughter that he recognized as Sakura's and he shifted his eyes to the pair. Kouen stood from his kneeling position and extended his hand to the young woman. The pink-haired medic accepted his offered hand and smiled at the prince as he assisted her in getting up from her position on the ground before thanking him politely. Sinbad growled threateningly at the sight of their joined hands. _'How dare he….How dare he get so close to my woman?'_ He clenched his fists tightly, making his knuckles turn white. He vaguely heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind him but he paid it no mind.

As he walked up to his King, Jafar instantly knew that the purple-haired man was definitely not in a good mood. His shoulders were tense with his fists balled at his sides and the white-haired man could hear the low growl emitting from his throat. _'What could have gotten him so riled up?'_ One look at the scene below them was all the answer he needed. Jafar sighed and coughed lightly to get the other man's attention but with no result. The look on Sinbad's face was one that he hardly ever saw on the man and he suddenly felt just a tad sorry for the Kou Prince. The sound of a mirthful giggle brought his attention to the pair below and he saw Sakura laughing at something Kouen had told her. To say that the look on Sinbad's face was murderous would be an understatement.

"Jafar?"

The man looked up at the sound of his name. "Yes Sin?"

"How much do you think it is going to cost us if I kill Ren Kouen?"

"Oh Gods…."

"What? Baal has been itching for a fight anyway…."

XxxOxOxOxxX

The night was warm and the sky was alight with stars, a pleasantly cool breeze hitting heated from dancing and drinking faces. The streets were alive with music and song and laughter as the people of Sindria celebrated in honor of their guests from Kou. Torches and fires burned all over the place as young women with flowers in their hair carried trays full of cups of wine and mead. The smell of roasting fish and meat filled the air as the people offered each other delicious food and sweet drink.

Sakura smiled widely as she made her way through the crowd, waving happily at people who greeted her as she went.

"Sakura-nee-chan! Hi!"

"Oh? Hey there Alhena!" she greeted the little girl with a smile as the young brunette ran up to her as fast as her little legs could carry her before throwing herself in the older woman's embrace. Sakura easily caught her and brought her up in her arms before beginning to walk through the streets once more. The little girl giggled mirthfully and placed a sloppy kiss on the medic's cheek before shifting her chocolate-brown eyes to the festivities going on around them.

Sakura laughed at the way Alhena pointed excitedly at every little thing they saw on the streets or on the merchants' courts. From shinny jewelry and curved blades to carved statues and exotic masks, most of it was new to the young eight-year-old. Her emerald eyes roamed the crowd for any familiar faces and her lips stretched into a beaming smile when her gaze fell on familiar purple hair and a colorfully feathered turban. She lowered the little Alhena to the ground and patted her head fondly.

"I'm sorry, Alhena, but I'm needed somewhere else right now. Why don't you go enjoy the feast? I think I can see Asad and Qamar over there….."

"Ok, Sakura-nee-chan! See you later!" the little girl shouted over her shoulder while waving as she ran towards her friends. The pink-haired woman smiled at the girl's back before turning around and heading towards the direction Sinbad was supposed to be.

She found them sitting around a long table covered with trays and plates full of delicious food. Smells of roasted fish, meat, vegetables, grapes, watermelons and all kinds of exotic fruit along with the sweet aroma of wine reached her nostrils as she approached them. Hinahoho's boisterous laughter reached her ears and she giggled, guessing that the huge man was already a bit tipsy. She made her way to where Sinbad was sitting with Kouen on his right and Jafar a couple of seats down on his left.

"Sakura! Come join us!" said Sinbad with a wide smile when he saw her and motioned to the empty seat on his left. Jafar had probably left that one unoccupied knowing that their King was saving it for her. She smiled at the men and bowed down in respect before sitting down gracefully in a flurry of silk as she adjusted her skirts.

"My King, Lord Kouen." she greeted politely as she sat, the gold bracelets around her wrists jingling as she moved.

Sinbad immediately called to one of the serving girls and took a cup off her tray before offering it to the pink-haired woman. Sakura brought it to her lips and took a sip, letting the amber liquid run down her throat. Realizing that it was the wine she liked, she smiled at the purple-haired man over her cup. Clear emerald clashed with smoldering golden as he sent her one of those penetrating stares and she fought down the urge to shiver under the intensity of his eyes.

Sinbad took a sip of his own drink, his eyes never leaving the woman sitting beside him. His gaze travelled from the flowers in her hair to her smooth neck and the inviting curve of her waist, wishing that he could run his fingers over her bare belly and half-exposed thighs. His eyes shifted to her face once more. The fire gave her hair a darker glow and her eyes shone with a unique light. _'This woman…..She's a walking temptation….' _he thought as he stared at her, wishing more than anything that they were alone in the confines of his room with the moon as the only light and nothing to stand between them. The thought of her skin on his-

"Lady Sakura, allow me to say that you look lovely tonight."

Sakura's cheeks darkened at the compliment. "Thank you, Lord Kouen. You are too kind." she replied and offered the man a shy, diplomatic smile.

The moment those words left the prince's lips, Sinbad tensed, his fingers twitching to reach for Baal's sword on his hip. He didn't miss the way Kouen's eyes roamed the woman's figure. He brought his cup to his lips to hide his scowl and closed his eyes for a moment to calm his temper. He had never been one to lose his cool even in the most difficult of situations. But when it came to Sakura…..Instinctively, he leaned closer to her and glanced at Kouen, almost daring the man to say something about it.

In the corner of her eye, Sakura noticed the change in the purple-haired man's demeanor but she resisted her urge to raise a questioning eyebrow at him. As discreetly as she could, she turned to Jafar, hoping that her eyes would ask the question for her. The white-haired man merely sighed and subtly shook his head in answer. More confused than ever, Sakura turned her eyes to Sinbad once more, searching his face for any clue as to what had unsettled him. His shoulders were tense, his lips set in a fake, tight smile and his fingers were tightened around his wine cup, his knuckles turning white-And then it clicked…

Sakura bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. _'He's jealous...'_ She eyed the purple-haired man, though his was too preoccupied with glaring at his plate-occasionally directing his glare at Kouen-to notice her looking at him. '_He's burning with jealousy….'_ An idea quickly forming in her mind, she smirked inwardly. _'A little fun never hurt anyone, right?'_

The rest of the night went by smoothly. Well, as smoothly as it could with Sakura purposely dedicating her attention to the Kou Prince, who was more than willing to keep the conversation going between them. Sinbad had quit trying to divert her attention from the red-haired male and was sitting silently with his cup of wine still in hand, though he had long stopped drinking.

Sakura knew that she was pushing him and judging by how tense and silent he was, he was really trying to his keep temper in check. But it would be a lie to say that she wasn't enjoying challenging him. Sinbad was a fun-loving and laid-back person by nature and wiping the smile off his face was hard. Seeing him so silent without that easy and charming smile on his face meant that he was close to his limits. _'Good….'_ she thought and smiled pleasantly at Kouen, though she hadn't really been paying attention to what he was saying. Taking one last sip from her drink, she stood up from her seat and adjusted her skirts.

"Forgive me, my Lords, but I must retire for tonight. Albeit pleasant, the day was tiring and I have a great deal to do tomorrow before the sun sets." She bowed down, her hair falling over her shoulder before meeting Kouen's stare and offering the man a charming smile. "I wish you a pleasant rest of the night." she said and turned around without sparing Sinbad a glance as she began walking away towards the palace. She could feel the weight of a pair of eyes burning holes at her back and she didn't need to turn around to know whose they were. However, she didn't glance back and kept her head high as she walked. One thing was for sure…

She wouldn't be getting any sleep that night…

XxxOxOxOxxX

She took the long way to her chambers that night and even took a short walk through the gardens. The night was warm and the light breeze blowing through her hair made her smile. The palace was silent as most of the people were still celebrating and with the moon bathing the world in silver light, the whole place had an eerie but pleasantly mysterious feeling to it.

She could hear the music from the feast, though it sounded far away and she closed her eyes to savor the calmness of her surroundings. Rarely ever was the palace of Sindria this quiet but she didn't complain. She liked the sound of people coming and going with their voices and laughter echoing through the halls. It was the sound of life and where there was life, everything seemed brighter.

She took a right turn and found herself in a familiar hallway that would lead her to her room. Shadows danced on the walls and she kept her eyes closed to preserve the calm and quite as long as she could. She knew the way by heart, anyway, and her feet knew instinctively where to take her. Within minutes, she was standing in front of her door and she opened it calmly, silently sliding inside the spacious room, not bothering to close it behind her.

She walked to a big window overlooking the gardens and, pulling the flowers from her hair, placed the woven wreath on the ledge. She stared at the starlit sky and the moon shining above her head. A smile touched her lips when she heard the familiar sound of the door closing and the lock turning. She knew he would come…

"It's a bit early for you to leave a feast." she said without turning to look at him. He didn't answer for a while but her sensitive ears could pick up his steady intake of breath.

"You and Kouen….You seem to get on great with each other." he commented nonchalantly, not bothering to reply to her comment, but knowing him as well as she did, she could hear the ire behind his words.

"Hmm…" Sakura hummed in affirmation. "Despite his cold exterior, he is a very interesting and charming man." In the corner of her eye, she saw him tense and push himself off his leaning position on the wall.

"Is that so?" Within seconds, she found herself pressed up against the wall with his body trapping her, leaving her no room for escape. He starred down at her with burning golden eyes that made her shiver and with her hand pressed against his chest, she could feel the steady beating of his heart.

Sinbad starred down at the woman trapped in his arms. With her half-lidded emerald eyes looking at him like that, he could feel his body burn with desire. The feeling of her skin against his own left him wanting more, wanting all of her. And he wasn't willing to share….Not with Kouen and not with anybody else. He ran his hands down her bare sides before settling them on her waist and pulling her closer, wanting more than anything to eliminate every inch of space separating them. He heard her release a soft moan that made his senses run wild and, without wasting another second, crushed his lips to hers. His mouth moved on hers as she fisted her hands in his hair and massaged his scalp, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine. He continued to devour her mouth and pressed her harder against the wall before lifting her leg and wrapping it around his waist.

Sakura groaned and wrapped her other leg around his waist as his hands settle on her thighs. She chuckled breathlessly as he attacked her neck, biting and sucking as he went. "I love it when you get so possessive. It's such a _turn on_….." she purred in his ear, making him groan against her sensitive skin.

Sinbad bit on her shoulder sensually before looking at her with burning eyes. "You…You greatly overestimate my self-control."

Sakura kissed his neck before nipping on his earlobe. "Who said anything about self-control?"

Sinbad gave her a searing kiss before tracing her jaw with his lips, leading up to her ear. "You are mine, Sakura. And I won't ever let anyone take you away from me….."

The woman smiled. "I'm yours…."And as his lips trailed kisses down her neck and his hands sent sinful shivers down her spine, Sakura couldn't help but think how madly in love she was with this man….

**THE END**

**So, here it is! The sequel to "Sindrian Waves" as requested, though I had already decided that I would write a continuation to that one-shot. I hope you enjoyed it! What can I say? I like writing Sinbad in his 'jealous mode'. And what better rival for Sakura's affections that Kouen? Both are good-looking men who hold a vast amount of power, with one of them being the heir to the throne and the other being the King of two rivaling countries. A clash of the 'Big Bosses', right? Unfortunately, I'm not that confident in my ability to write lemons and I would hate to ruin the story by adding one when I know that it wouldn't be at the level of my liking. However, things did heat up between Sakura and Sinbad! I took a break from "And so the Sea began to Sing" to write this but the next chapter is coming soon so stay tuned. This one-shot will probably be followed by a sequel to my other SharrkanXSakura one-shot, "A Melody of Swords and Flowers", but I can't say when it will be up. Anyway, I hope you liked this one! Until next time….READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love!**


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